Rick White

A Brown County native, I retired from the United States Army in 2001 after serving for 29 years.  My first five years service was as a Military Policeman and a Combat Engineer, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant until attending Officer Candidate School and being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.  Twenty-four years later, I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.  My career included overseas assignments in Germany, the former Soviet Union, Thailand, Korea, Southwest Asia and Panama and numerous stateside assignments that included the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the XVIIIth Airborne Corps and culminated with assignment to The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Pentagon.  Interspersed in these assignments were various combat and peacetime deployments in support of our Nation’s national security strategy.

My military leadership assignments included command of elements as few as 12 soldiers (Squad Leader), 785 soldiers of a combat engineer battalion (Battalion Commander) and as many as a 1200 man forward deployed joint task force (Army, Air Force and Marines). My military career began at the lowest level and culminated at the highest level of the Army’s command structure which is indicative of the trust and confidence the Army put in my administrative, management and leadership abilities.

I am a distinguished graduate of the military’s senior-level leadership, technical, tactical and management schools.  My varied military assignments placed me in combat and technical advisory roles, including coordinating efforts with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, both House and Senate Congressional Appropriations Committees, numerous federal agencies, including but not limited to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Defense and Central Intelligence Agencies, the U.S. State Department and numerous foreign armies and governments.

Upon retiring and returning to Brown County in April 2001, I accepted a position with the Sheriff’s Department as a jailer and after three months, assumed command of the Jail Division.  While commanding the Jail Division, I instituted an inmate disciplinary handbook and standards where none previously existed and became one of the first Jail Commanders to attend the State of Indiana’s Jail Commander’s Course and mandated the same for all Jail Division staff.  After a change in administration, I left the Department in April 2003 and accepted the position of Manager for the Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District until April 2005 when that position was eliminated.  Since 2005, I have enjoyed my retirement but have remained active in the community.

My wife Donna and I have been married for almost 38 years and reside at Stone Head in Van Buren Township.  For those familiar with this area, our home is on land that was part of my Grandpa’s (Dick White) farm.

Giving back to my community is an integral part of who I am.  I am an active member of the Brown County VFW Post 6195 and American Legion Post 13, charter member and former Treasurer of the Brown County Veterans Coalition and currently, the Commander of the Brown County Veterans Honor Guard, providing military funeral rites for our veterans.

I am a past board member and President of the Brown County Board of Zoning Appeals (2003-2005); President of the Brown County Water Utility Board of Directors (2005-present) and currently serving as President of the Van Buren Township Advisory Board (appointed by the Brown County Democrat Central Committee to fill vacant seat; term expires December 2010).  Chartered in 1852, I am a proud member of the oldest fraternal organization in Brown County - the Nashville Masonic Lodge.  A member for over 33 years, I served the Lodge as its Worshipful Master in 2004 and currently serve as the Lodge Secretary.

Civilian Education:  Ball State University and Ohio Dominican College

Military Education:  Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Schools, Combined Arms Services Staff College, Command and General Staff College, Army Management Staff College, National Defense University and Airborne, Air Assault and Jungle Expert schools.

Law Enforcement Training:  Graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) Jail Officer Course, Instructor at the ILEA Jail Officer Course and a graduate of the Criminal Justice Institute for Courthouse/Courtroom Security.

I feel my extensive leadership, management and administrative experience and skills makes me the best qualified candidate to be the next Sheriff of Brown County.  I am a strong advocate of making the best use of our facilities by safely housing as many state Department of Corrections minimum security inmates as possible.  The County’s cost to house these inmates is minimal when compared to the amount of revenue it can generate for the County.  For example, housing 25 state inmates will generate approximately $325,000; 50 inmates $650,000.  This additional revenue alone can potentially pay for the jail rather than using tax dollars.  Immediately upon assuming the office of Sheriff, I will mandate 100% urinalysis testing for all employees and random testing thereafter, with immediate termination for anyone failing the screenings.  I think it is time we raise the bar for the standards and level of professionalism of our Sheriff’s Department.

Send mail to jgredy@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 03/11/10